Squad news

THE OPTIMISM OF CULIO

13 Aug 2013In just a few days Culio is making an impact at Deportivismo; he played some minutes on Saturday and left a positive impression, while his charisma is contagious at the press room. The Argentine is optimistic and ambitious as he targets the promotion.

Juan Culio addressed the media on Monday after the first training session of the day. He was in a good mood and was joking a lot as he’s optimistic of what lies ahead for Depor. The player also confessed that he isn’t ready to be a starter on Saturday.

He was firstly asked of his first impression of Deportivo, “The true is that the first impression is good. The team is missing something, because we are waiting for some reinforcements. The newcomers must be adapted as soon as possible, because the first matchday is on Saturday, so let’s hope everything will be fine.”

There were many comments on his performance during the twelve minutes he spent on the pitch against Gil Vicente, but Culio prefers to emphasize the collective game, “Yes, but we are more content as the team won. We don’t need to see a player performing for himself. The important thing on here is the team, to see us winning and to see people happy when they leave the stadium. The poor crowd has suffered. A great team like Coruña has suffered the relegation and we’re in debt with the people. Let’s hope that when the tournament ends everything could be settled.”

Then the Argentine man explained that he can perform as a playmaker or as a winger, “I am careless. The important thing is the team. If the team needs me to play on the sides then I will play on the sides, if the team needs me to play at the centre then I will play at the centre. It’s the same for me. The coach asked me where I wanted to play, and I responded that it was the same for me. Truly I prefer to perform at the centre, but it doesn’t affect me. It doesn’t mean I cannot play at the wings, but I feel more comfortable playing at the centre.”

Later he was targeting the promotion as the only goal of Depor, “I like the challenges. That’s why I joined Depor. Together with the rest of the team we are looking to get the promotion; nothing of ending third or fourth. Depor must get the promotion, yes or yes. I watched many games of Depor when my great player was on here, Djalminha. I liked him and at that time Depor were incredible, so everybody knows Deportivo La Coruña for their recent history. We are searching for the goal.”

“Yes, the potential of the team isn’t the same of the past, but if you keep living in the past then there’s nothing you can do. The past is in the past and you need to live in the present. You must work hard in order to see people at Depor smiling once again. Let’s hope it can be done.” He added.

He’s pretty content so far with what he found out in Spain, “In Spain I only knew the airport [he laughed] I was there and later continued my trip. I spent two hours at the airport when I played in Turkey and nothing more. I didn’t know anything. Only my wife has been on here as she always travelled in order to meet places. A relative of my agent invited me to a little town near here, and it’s great. But you end up eating a lot [he laughed] People eat a lot on here. If you don't stop eating then you will go out really fat [he laughed], but it was lovely. What I liked the most is that people are really friendly. Felipe Melo told me about and I’m happy for coming here.”

The ex-Galatasaray was asked if he will be fit to play as a starter against UD Las Palmas, and he answered that he’s missing some pace after been sidelined at his former club, “I spent the first ten days with the team, and later I was sidelined when the negotiations started. I feel fine. I will feel better with the passage of the games. I need to gain pace. We must be realistic, but that’s a question for the coach”

Finally, Culio was joking as the season as Segunda is long and hard, “The true is that the competition is really long; when they told me that there were 42 matchdays then I thought that I wasn’t going to see my family in Argentina [he laughed], but it’s truly long and the full squad must be ready at 100%, because we need to be ready for the coach.”